Flash Eurobarometer EUROPEANS ENGAGEMENT IN PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY REPORT Fieldwork: February 2013 Publication: March 2013 This survey has been requested and co-ordinated by Directorate-General for Communication. This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission. The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors. Flash Eurobarometer - TNS Political & Social
Flash Eurobarometer Europeans Engagement in Participatory Democracy Conducted by TNS Political & Social at the request of the European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication Survey co-ordinated by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM Research and Speechwriting Unit)
FLASH EUROBAROMETER TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 2 KEY FINDINGS... 4 1. CITIZENS VIEWS ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS... 6 1.1. The need for these types of organisations... 7 1.2. The level of trust in these types of organisations... 9 1.3. The influence of these types of organisations at local/regional, national and European level... 11 2. EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF INFLUENCING POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING... 17 2.1. Importance of different ways of influencing political decision-making... 17 2.2. Voting in local/regional elections... 18 2.3. Voting in national elections... 20 2.4. Voting in European elections... 23 2.5. Being a member of a non-governmental organisation or association... 25 3. CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT IN INFLUENCING POLITICAL DECISION- MAKING... 27 3.1. What citizens do to influence political decision-making... 27 3.2. Membership of non-governmental organisations or associations... 31 ANNEXES Technical specifications Questionnaire Tables 1
FLASH EUROBAROMETER INTRODUCTION This report examines the extent to which European citizens engage in participatory democracy, and the extent to which they believe that political decision-making can be influenced through their own actions and through those of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The first section examines the respondents views of NGOs and similar associations, asking whether such groups have the power to influence local, national and EU decisionmaking. Respondents are also asked whether NGOs share their own interests and values, and whether European citizens need these types of organisations. In the second section, the discussion switches to the perceived effectiveness of various means of influencing political decision-making, especially voting in local, national and European elections. Respondents are also asked to consider whether joining an NGO is an effective way of exerting influence. The third and final section covers citizens engagement in political decision-making, examining whether respondents seek to express their views by signing petitions or by communicating through social media, for example. Finally, the discussion turns to the level of participation in NGOs and other associations, such as Trade Unions. This survey was carried out by TNS Political & Social network in the 27 Member States of the European Union between 14 February and 16 February 2013. Some 25,551 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed by telephone in their mother tongue on behalf of the Directorate-General for Communication, in response to a request from the European Economic and Social Committee. The methodology used is that of Eurobarometer surveys as carried out by the Directorate-General for Communication ( Research and Speechwriting Unit) 1. A technical note on the manner in which interviews were conducted by the Institutes within the TNS Political & Social network is appended as an annex to this report. Also included are the interview methods and confidence intervals 2. 1 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm 2 The results tables are included in the annex. It should be noted that the total of the percentages in the tables of this report may exceed 100% when the respondent has the possibility of giving several answers to the question. 2
FLASH EUROBAROMETER Note: In this report, countries are referred to by their official abbreviation. The abbreviations used in this report correspond to: ABBREVIATIONS BE Belgium LV Latvia CZ Czech Republic LU Luxembourg BG Bulgaria HU Hungary DK Denmark MT Malta DE Germany NL The Netherlands EE Estonia AT Austria EL Greece PL Poland ES Spain PT Portugal FR France RO Romania IE Ireland SI Slovenia IT Italy SK Slovakia CY Republic of Cyprus* FI Finland LT Lithuania SE Sweden UK The United Kingdom EU27 European Union 27 Member States * Cyprus as a whole is one of the 27 European Union Member States. However, the acquis communautaire has been suspended in the part of the country which is not controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. For practical reasons, only the interviews carried out in the part of the country controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus are included in the CY category and in the EU27 average. * * * * * We wish to thank all the people interviewed who took the time to participate in this survey. Without their active participation, this survey would not have been possible. 3
FLASH EUROBAROMETER KEY FINDINGS Citizens views on non-governmental organisations and associations Most respondents feel that NGOs can influence local (75%) and national (70%) decision-making, and to a lesser extent EU-level decision-making (53%). A majority (59%) of people think that NGOs share their interests and values, while only four out of 10 people (41%) think European citizens do not need these types of organisations. However, a majority of respondents in five Member States Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Portugal and Cyprus say that European citizens do not need NGOs. A majority of people in all Member States except for Spain, the Czech Republic and Estonia think that these organisations share their interests and values. At least two-thirds of people in all EU countries believe that NGOs can influence local decision-making; over half of the people in all countries take the same view on national decision-making. But in six Member States, a majority of people question whether these organisations can influence EU-level decision-making. Effectiveness of different ways of influencing political decision-making Roughly seven out of 10 respondents think that voting in local or national elections is an effective way to influence political decisions. Figures are lower for EU elections and membership in NGOs, although a majority of respondents (54%) still think that voting in EU elections or joining an NGO is an effective means of influencing political decision-making. A majority of people in all 27 Member States think that voting in local elections is an effective way of influencing political decision-making; a majority in all countries, with the exception of Slovenia, also think that voting nationally is effective in this regard. In four EU countries Latvia, the Czech Republic, the UK and Slovenia a majority of respondents think that voting in European elections is not an effective way to influence political decisions. Most people in Latvia and the Czech Republic also think that joining an NGO is ineffective when it comes to influencing political decisions. 4
FLASH EUROBAROMETER Citizens engagement in influencing political decision-making A third (34%) of respondents say that they have signed a petition in the last two years. However, the proportion of people who have done this ranges considerably, from 53% in the UK to 7% in Cyprus. Other relatively popular forms of engagement are expressing one's views online (28%), expressing one's views with an elected local representative (24%), and taking part in a public debate at local or regional level (18%). Men are more likely than women to have attempted to express their view using most of the means under discussion; they are also more likely to be members of an NGO or similar association. A fifth of respondents (20%) are members of an organisation with a specific economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interest, while 17% are in another organisation with a special interest, and 16% are Trade Union members. The Nordic countries demonstrate a very high level of participation in NGOs and associations, especially Trade Unions. However, in 18 Member States, more than half of the respondents say that they have not had any involvement with this type of organisation. Respondents who have expressed their views or joined an NGO are more likely to believe that ways of influencing political decision-making, such as voting, are effective, and also that NGOs can influence political decisions. 5
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 1. CITIZENS VIEWS ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS -- Over 70% of respondents agree that NGOs can influence decision-making at both the local and national levels -- In this first section of the report, all European respondents were asked about their views on non-governmental organisations and associations. Specifically, they were asked five questions about these kinds of organisations and associations. First, they were asked whether they agree that these organisations can influence decision-making at the local/regional level. Three quarters (75%) of respondents agree that they can do this, while only a fifth (21%) disagree. Seven out of 10 respondents (70%) agree that these organisations can influence decision-making at national level. A quarter of people (26%) do not agree that this is the case. A majority of respondents (59%) agree that they share the values or interests of some of these organisations, and that they trust them to act in the right way to influence political decision-making. But over a third of respondents (36%) do not feel that these organisations share their values or interests. Over half of the respondents (53%) also agree that these organisations can influence decision-making at EU level, while four out of 10 people (41%) disagree. Only a minority of respondents (41%) agree that European citizens do not need these types of organisations, and that they have other means of influencing political decisionmaking. A majority of people (52%) disagree with the suggestion that there is no need for these types of organisations. 6
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 1.1. The need for these types of organisations -- A relative majority of people in five Member States agree that EU citizens do not need these types of organisations -- At EU level, only 41% of people agree that European citizens do not need these types of organisations, and that they have other means of influencing political decision-making. However, at individual country level a relative majority of people in five Member States agree that citizens do not need these kinds of organisations: Romania (where 55% agree, and 40% disagree), Greece (52% vs. 44%), Bulgaria (49% vs. 42%), Portugal (49% vs. 46%) and Cyprus (47% vs. 43%). Opinion is equally divided in Malta, where 46% of respondents agree and 46% disagree. In the other 21 Member States a relative majority of people disagree with the idea that European citizens do not need these kinds of organisations. The level of disagreement is the highest in Finland (72% vs. 23% who agree), Denmark (64% vs. 27%), the Netherlands (62% vs. 34%) and Hungary (60% vs. 35%). About a fifth of the respondents say that they do not know whether European citizens need these kinds of organisation in Estonia (19%) and at least a tenth say so in the UK (13%) and Cyprus (10%). 7
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The socio-demographic variations are relatively minor on this question. Respondents aged 55 and over (44%) are slightly more likely to agree that European citizens do not need these types of organisations than those aged 25-39 (38%). People who finished their education aged 19 or under (44-46%) are also more likely to agree than those who finished their education aged 20 or over (38%). Occupation also has an impact: while 45% of manual workers and 44% of people who are not working agree that European citizens do not need these types of organisations, only 37% of employees do so. 8
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 1.2. The level of trust in these types of organisations -- At least 50% of respondents feel that they share the values or interests of these organisations in all but three Member States -- Around six out of 10 people (59%) at EU level agree that they share the values or interests of some of these organisations, and that they trust them to act in the right way to influence political decision-making. At individual country level, at least 50% of respondents in all but three Member States agree with this. The level of agreement is highest in the Netherlands (75%), Luxembourg (70%), and Denmark (70%). The three exceptions, where less than 50% of people agree that they share the values or interests of these organisations, are: Spain (46% vs. 50% who disagree), the Czech Republic (47% vs. 48%), and Estonia (47% vs. 27%). In Estonia a high proportion of respondents (26%) say that they do not know whether they share these organisations values and whether they trust them to act in the right direction to influence political decisions. At least four out of 10 people disagree with this statement in seven Member States: Spain (50%), Czech Republic (48%), Greece (46%), Slovakia (43%), Slovenia (42%), Italy (42%) and Latvia (41%). 9
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The socio-demographic variations are again relatively small. Respondents aged 25-39 (63%) are more likely to agree that they share the values of some of these organisations than those aged 55 and over (55%). People who finished their education aged 20 or over (63%) are more likely to agree than those who finished their education aged 16-19 (57%) or aged 15 or under (47%). In terms of occupation, 63% of employees agree that they share the values of some of these organisations, compared with 56% of self-employed people. 10
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 1.3. The influence of these types of organisations at local/regional, national and European level -- At least two-thirds of people in all Member States believe that these organisations can influence local decision-making -- Across the EU, 75% of respondents agree that these organisations can influence decision-making at local/regional level. In eight Member States, at least 80% of people take this view, with the level of agreement being the highest in Sweden (88%) and Finland (87%). At least 70% of people agree in all Member States, with the exception of Spain, where only 65% agree. Spain (32%) has the highest proportion of respondents who disagree with this statement, followed by Slovenia (27%). 11
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The socio-demographic results show that respondents aged 15-24 (79%) are somewhat more likely to agree than those aged 55 and over (72%) that these organisations can influence local decision-making. People who finished their education aged 20 or over (79%) are also more likely to agree than those who finished their education aged 16-19 (74%) or aged 15 and under (62%). 12
FLASH EUROBAROMETER -- A majority of people in all Member States think that NGOs can influence decision-making at national level -- Seven out of 10 (70%) European respondents think that NGOs and associations can influence decision-making at national level. At least eight out of 10 people in four Member States take this view: Denmark (83%), Sweden (82%), Finland (82%) and Luxembourg (80%). A majority of people in all Member States agree that these organisations can influence decision-making at national level, though less than six out of 10 people express agreement in five countries: the Czech Republic (55%), Greece (56%), Hungary (57%), Slovenia (58%) and Latvia (58%). 13
FLASH EUROBAROMETER According to the socio-demographic results, respondents aged 25-54 (72%) are slightly more likely to agree that these organisations can influence national-level decision-making than those aged 55 or over (67%). People who finished their education aged 20 or over (74%) are also more likely to agree than those who finished their education aged 16-19 (69%) or aged 15 or under (59%). And while 74% of employees agree with this statement, only 66% of people who are not working do so. 14
FLASH EUROBAROMETER -- Over half of the respondents in 19 Member States think that NGOs can influence EU decision-making -- Just over half (53%) of EU respondents agree that these organisations can influence decision-making at EU level. At least 50% of people agree with this in 19 Member States, with a relatively high number of respondents saying this in Romania (71%), Portugal (68%) and Luxembourg and Denmark (both 66%). However, in six Member States a relative majority of people say that these organisations cannot influence EU-level decision-making: the Czech Republic (59% disagree vs. 37% who agree), Austria (54% vs. 42%), Slovenia (52% vs. 44%), Latvia (52% vs. 44%), Germany (48% vs. 46%) and the Netherlands (48% vs. 47%). Opinion is equally divided in Greece (49% agree and disagree). 15
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The socio-demographic differences are relatively minor on this issue. More than half of men and women (both 53%) think that these organisations can influence EU decisions. With regard to education, those that have completed studies aged 20 or over are more likely to take this view (55%) than those who have finished education aged 15 or under (50%). 16
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 2. EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF INFLUENCING POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING 2.1. Importance of different ways of influencing political decisionmaking -- While around 70% of respondents feel that voting in local/regional or national elections is an effective way of influencing political decisions, only around 50% think that voting in EU elections or joining an NGO is effective -- The focus of the survey now switches to ways of influencing political decision-making, with respondents asked to say whether they regard four means of influencing political decisions as effective. Over seven out of 10 European respondents (73%) think that voting in local/regional elections is effective, with a quarter (25%) saying that this is ineffective. This is very similar to the general opinion of national elections: seven out of 10 people (70%) say that voting in national elections is effective, while just over a quarter (28%) feel that this is an ineffective way of influencing political decision-making. However, local and national elections are regarded as more effective ways of influencing political decisions than the other two options under consideration: being a member of an NGO, and voting in European elections. Just over half (54%) of the respondents think that being a member of an NGO or association is effective, whereas 40% of respondents believe that this is ineffective. The same number of people (54%) think that voting in European elections is an effective way of influencing political decision-making, with 42% of the opinion that this is not effective. 17
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 2.2. Voting in local/regional elections -- A majority of people in all Member States see voting in local/regional elections as an effective way of influencing political decisions -- Nearly three quarters (73%) of European respondents think that voting in local/regional elections is an effective way of influencing political decision-making. In 12 Member States, at least three quarters of respondents consider local/regional elections to be effective, with Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark and Finland (all 83%) having the highest numbers of people who take this view. A majority of people in all Member States think that voting in local/regional elections is an effective way of influencing political decision-making, though less than six out of 10 respondents take this view in Slovenia (55%) and Latvia (59%). Relatively high numbers of people argue that voting in local or regional elections is ineffective in Slovenia (42%), Latvia (37%) and Spain (37%). 18
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The socio-demographic results show than women (74%) are slightly more likely than men (70%) to think that voting in local or regional elections is effective. However, education is a bigger factor than gender: while 75% of people who finished their education aged 20 or over think that voting in local or regional elections is effective, only 65% of those who left school aged 15 or under agree. In terms of occupation, 75% of employees say that voting in local elections is an effective way to influence political decisions, whereas only 68% of manual workers feel the same way. 19
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 2.3. Voting in national elections -- A majority of people in 26 out of 27 Member States think that voting in national elections is an effective way to influence political decisions -- At EU level, seven out of 10 respondents (70%) think that voting in national elections is an effective way of influencing political decision-making. In 11 Member States, at least three quarters of respondents believe that national elections are an effective way of influencing political decisions, with Denmark (89%), Malta (85%) and Finland (82%) having the highest numbers of people who take this view. A majority of people in all but one of the 27 Member States think that voting in national elections is an effective way of influencing political decision-making. The exception is Slovenia, where 47% of people think that voting in national elections is effective, as opposed to 49% who think it is ineffective. At least four out of 10 respondents say that voting nationally is ineffective in three countries: Slovenia, Latvia (42%) and Poland (40%). 20
FLASH EUROBAROMETER According to the socio-demographic results, women (71%) are again marginally more likely than men (68%) to think that voting in national elections is effective. This time younger voters are also more inclined to take this view: 75% of 15-24 year-olds see national voting as a means of influencing political decisions, compared with 68% of those aged 55 or over. Education has an impact, too, with 72% of people who finished their education aged 20 or over arguing that voting in national elections is effective, as opposed to only 61% of those who left school aged 15 or under. In terms of occupation, 72% of employees say that voting nationally is an effective way to influence political decisions, whereas 65% of manual workers give this answer. 21
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 22
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 2.4. Voting in European elections -- In 19 Member States a majority of respondents think that voting in European elections is an effective way to influence political decisions -- Just over half (54%) of the respondents at EU level think that voting in European elections is an effective way to influence political decisions. At least 50% of people in 19 Member States agree that voting in European elections is effective in this regard. Romania (71%) has the highest number of people who take this view, followed by Malta (69%) and Italy (65%). In four EU countries a majority of respondents think that voting in European elections is not an effective way to influence political decisions: Latvia, where 61% think that voting in European elections is ineffective and only 32% see it as effective, the Czech Republic (54% vs. 39%), the UK (54% vs. 40%) and Slovenia (53% vs. 40%). Opinion is equally divided in the Netherlands (both 49%). At least four out of 10 respondents think that voting in European elections is ineffective in 16 EU countries. 23
FLASH EUROBAROMETER According to the socio-demographic results, women (57%) are somewhat more likely than men (50%) to think that voting in European elections is effective when it comes to influencing political decisions. Younger voters are also once again more inclined to take this view: 63% of 15-24 year-olds see voting in European elections as an effective means of influencing political decisions, compared with 51% of people aged 40 or over. 24
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 2.5. Being a member of a non-governmental organisation or association -- In all but two Member States a majority of respondents think that being a member of an NGO is an effective way to influence political decisions -- A majority (54%) of European respondents think that being a member of a nongovernmental organisation or association is an effective means of influencing political decisions. At least 50% of people in 20 Member States think that membership of an NGO is effective in this regard. Luxembourg (68%) has the highest number of people who take this view, followed by Romania and Malta (both 65%). A majority of respondents in just two Member States think that being a member of an NGO is not an effective way to influence political decisions: Latvia, where 54% think that this is ineffective and only 36% see it as effective, and the Czech Republic (52% vs. 44%). However, at least four out of 10 respondents think that being a member of an NGO is ineffective in 14 EU countries. 25
FLASH EUROBAROMETER According to the socio-demographic results, 15-39 year-olds (58%) are more likely than people aged 55 or over (50%) to regard NGO membership as an effective way of influencing political decisions. The respondents level of education is also a significant factor: while 59% of people who finished their education aged 20 or above think that being a member of an NGO is effective, only 42% of those who left school aged 15 or under agree. In terms of occupation, 57% of employees say that NGO membership is effective, as opposed to 48% of manual workers. 26
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 3. CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT IN INFLUENCING POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING 3.1. What citizens do to influence political decision-making -- Petitions are the main route through which respondents seek to directly influence decision-making -- In this section, respondents were asked whether they have done certain things during the last two years to influence political decision-making. They were presented with eight items, and were able to give multiple answers. A third (34%) of respondents say that they signed a petition on paper or online, while 28% of people expressed their views on public issues on the Internet or social media, and 24% expressed their views with their elected representative at local/regional level. Just under a fifth (18%) of respondents say that they have taken part in a public debate at a local/regional level during the past two years, with a tenth (10%) having expressed their views on public issues with their elected representatives at national level. Relatively few people say that they expressed their views on public issues with their elected representative at EU level (4%), that they had taken part in a public debate at national level (4%), or that they had taken part in a public debate at EU level (1%). 27
FLASH EUROBAROMETER In 15 Member States, more respondents say that they signed a petition than attempted to influence political decision-making by any of the other options under discussion. Over half of the respondents in the UK (53%) and France (51%) say that signed a petition, but at the other end of the scale only 7% of people in Cyprus and 10% of those in Greece have signed a petition in the last two years. In eight Member States, the Internet or social media are the main avenues for expressing views on public issues. Spain (39%) has the highest proportion of respondents who did this, followed by the Czech Republic and the Netherlands (both 35%). But only 12% of people in Hungary and 17% of those in Cyprus used the Internet or social media to express their views. Expressing one s views on public issues with an elected representative at local/regional level is the most popular approach in six Member States, with relatively high numbers of people having done this over the past two years in Ireland (43%), Finland (36%) and Austria (33%). However, only 12% of respondents in Estonia and 13% in Lithuania took up issues of public concern with their local representative. Taking part in a public debate at local/regional level was the main avenue for expressing views on important issues for respondents in two Member States: Romania, where 25% of people say they did this over the past two years, and Germany (24%). A relatively high proportion of people also took this course of action in France (26%) and the Czech Republic (24%), though less than a tenth of respondents were involved in this kind of public debate in Malta (5%) and Lithuania (8%). In most countries, relatively few people say that they expressed their views on public issues with elected representatives at national level, though at least a tenth of the respondents did so in 14 Member States. Ireland and Malta (both 20%) have the highest numbers of people who did this. Luxembourg (11%) is the only Member State in which more than a tenth of the respondents say that they expressed their views on public issues with their elected representative at EU level. It is also the only country (13%) in which at least 10% of people say that they took part in a public debate at national level, though less than a tenth of people in all EU countries took part in a public debate at EU level. 28
FLASH EUROBAROMETER According to the socio-demographic data, men are more likely than women to have used various means of expressing their views, including taking part in a public debate at local/regional level (22% vs. 15% for women), expressing their views to a local elected representative (27% vs. 20%), and expressing their views via the Internet or social media (32% vs. 25%). However, equal numbers of men and women (both 34%) say that they signed a petition. Overall, 45% of women say that they did none of these things in order to express their views, as opposed to 38% of men. 29
FLASH EUROBAROMETER People in different age groups demonstrate preferences for using different means of expressing their views on public issues. Younger respondents are more likely to use the Internet or social media: 42% of 15-24 year-olds did this during the past two years, but this falls to 17% among people aged 55 or over. Respondents aged 40 and over (26-27%) are more likely to express their views with their local or regional elected representatives than 15-24 year-olds (16%), while people in the 25-39 age bracket (40%) are the most likely to have signed a petition (only 28% of respondents aged 55 and over did this). Respondents aged 55 or over are the most inclined to say that they did not do any of these things: 48% say this, compared with 37-39% of people in the other three age groups. Respondents with a higher level of education are more likely to try to express their views via all the means under discussion than people who finished their education at a younger age. For example, 42% of people who finished their education aged 20 or over have signed a petition in the last two years, compared with just 16% of those who left school aged 15 or below. While 62% of people in the latter group did none of these things in order to express their view, only 34% of people who finished their education aged 20 or over say this. In terms of occupation, employees and self-employed people are more likely to seek to express their views using the various available means than manual workers or people who are not working. Nearly half of manual workers (49%) and people who are not working (47%) did not do any of these things, compared with 35% of employees and 34% of self-employed people. 30
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 3.2. Membership of non-governmental organisations or associations -- While NGO membership is common in a few specific EU countries, most Europeans in general are not members of any NGOs or associations Following on from the discussion about the ways in which respondents express their views on public issues, they were then asked whether they are members of various types of non-governmental organisations or associations. A fifth of European respondents (20%) say they are members of an organisation with a specific economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interest. Around one person in six is also a member of another type of organisation with a special interest (17%), or a member of a Trade Union (16%). A tenth (11%) of respondents are members of a professional association for groups such as doctors or teachers. Relatively few people are members of the other kinds of association under discussion Chambers of Commerce (5%) or an employers organisation (4%). A majority (56%) of respondents say spontaneously that they are not members of any of these sorts of NGOs or associations. 31
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The Nordic countries stand out on this question, as they tend to have a high level of participation in NGOs and similar associations. In Sweden, 46% of people say they are members of an organisation with a specific economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interest, as do 34% of people in Luxembourg and 33% in Finland. At least a quarter of respondents say they are a member of this type of group in nine Member States. But in seven Member States, less than a tenth of people say this, particularly in Romania (4%) and Lithuania (5%). At least a quarter of respondents in five Member States say that they are a member of another type of organisation with a special interest: Finland (37%), Sweden (35%), Denmark (29%), the Netherlands (26%) and France (25%). Less than 10% of people in nine EU countries give this answer. Trade Union membership is exceptionally high in the three Nordic countries: Denmark (61%), Finland and Sweden (both 54%). Luxembourg (31%) and Belgium (30%) are the only other Member States in which over a quarter of respondents have Trade Union membership. But in nine Member States less than a tenth of people give this answer. In most countries relatively few people are members of a professional association. Denmark (27%), Finland (23%) and Ireland (21%) are the only Member States in which at least a fifth of people are members of this kind of group. Austria (18%) and the Netherlands (17%) are the only two countries where at least a tenth of people say they are members of a Chamber of Commerce, while the UK (10%) is the only country in which a tenth of respondents are members of an employer s association. In 18 Member States, a majority of respondents say that they are not members of any kind of NGO or association. At least eight out of 10 people say this in Lithuania (84%), Estonia (81%) and Romania (80%). At the other end of the scale, only around a fifth of people are not a member of any such group in Sweden (19%), Finland (20%) and Denmark (21%). Austria (35%), Luxembourg (38%), the Netherlands (38%), Belgium (45%), Germany (46%) and Ireland (46%) are the other countries where less than half of the respondents are not members of any type of NGO. 32
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The socio-demographic data show that men are somewhat more likely to be members of the various kinds of NGOs and associations under consideration, such as a Trade Union (18% vs. 13% for women), and an organisation with a specific economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interest (23% vs. 18%). While 61% of women say they are not members of any such group, only 52% of men say this. Respondents aged 15-24 (65%) are the most likely to say that they are not a member of any kind of NGO, while people in the 40-54 age group (49%) are the least likely to say this. 33
FLASH EUROBAROMETER People who left education aged 15 or under (74%) are much more likely to have no kind of NGO membership than people who finished their education aged 20 and above (46%). Manual workers (28%) and employees (26%) are more likely than self-employed people (9%) and people who are not working (8%) to be members of a Trade Union. However, self-employed respondents are more likely to be members of a professional association (24% vs. 16% for employees and 7% for manual workers) or members of an organisation with a specific economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interest (28% vs. 24% for employees and 15% for manual workers). People who are not working (67%) are the most likely to say that they are not members of any kind of association, while self-employed people (42%) are the least likely to say this. 34
FLASH EUROBAROMETER The opinion of respondents who have expressed their views on public issues, or who are members of an NGO or association This final section of the report considers whether respondents who have actively sought to express their views on public issues or who are NGO members have different views of the effectiveness of doing these things in terms of their ability to influence public decision-making. The data shows that respondents who have expressed their views in some way on public issues are somewhat more likely to think that NGOs are relevant and can influence decision-making. For example, whereas 81-82% of people who have taken part in a debate, expressed their views in some way or signed a petition say that NGOs can influence local/regional decision-making, only 69% of people who have not done any of these things say this. Similarly, while 75-77% of respondents who have taken part in a debate, expressed their views in some way or signed a petition say that NGOs can influence national decision-making, only 64% of respondents who have not done these things agree. 65-67% of people who have taken part in a debate, expressed their views in some way or signed a petition think that NGOs share their interests and values, compared with just 52% of respondents who have not engaged in this way. The same pattern emerges among respondents who are members of an NGO or association. While 81% of people who are a member of an association think that NGOs can influence local/regional decision-making, only 72% of people who are not members agree. 76% of respondents who are members say that NGOs can influence national decision-making, compared with 66% of those who are not. And while 66% of NGO members think that these groups share their values and interests, only 54% of nonmembers say this. 35
FLASH EUROBAROMETER In much the same way, the data suggest that people who have expressed their views or are NGO members are more likely to feel that participating in elections and similar activities are effective in terms of influencing political decision-making. For example, 75-79% of people who have taken part in a debate, expressed their views in some way or signed a petition say that voting in local/regional elections is effective, compared with 68% of respondents who have not done any of these things. 73-76% of people who have taken part in a debate, expressed their views in some way or signed a petition say that voting in national elections is effective, as opposed to 65% of those who have not done any of these things. And while 61-65% of people who have taken part in a debate, expressed their views in some way or signed a petition think that being an NGO member is effective, only 47% of people who have not engaged in these activities say this. Similarly, 77% of NGO members say that voting in local/regional elections is an effective way of influencing local decision-making, compared with 69% of non-members. 74% of NGO members say that voting in national elections is an effective way of influencing local decision-making, compared with 67% of non-members. And, unsurprisingly, NGO members (61%) are more likely to say that membership of this type of organisation is effective than non-members (49%). 36
ANNEXES
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
FLASH EUROBAROMETER FLASH EUROBAROMETER TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Between the 14 th and the 16 th of February 2013, TNS Political & Social, a consortium created between TNS political & social, TNS UK and TNS opinion, carried out the survey FLASH EUROBAROMETER about Europeans Engagement in Participatory Democracy. This survey has been requested by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION. It is a general public survey co-ordinated by the Directorate-General for Communication ( Research and Speechwriting Unit). The FLASH EUROBAROMETER covers the population of the respective nationalities of the European Union Member States, resident in each of the 27 Member States and aged 15 years and over. All interviews were carried using the TNS e-call center (our centralized CATI system). In every country respondents were called both on fixed lines and mobile phones. The basic sample design applied in all states is multi-stage random (probability). In each household, the respondent was drawn at random following the "last birthday rule". TNS has developed its own RDD sample generation capabilities based on using contact telephone numbers from responders to random probability or random location face to face surveys, such as Eurobarometer, as seed numbers. The approach works because the seed number identifies a working block of telephone numbers and reduces the volume of numbers generated that will be ineffective. The seed numbers are stratified by NUTS2 region and urbanisation to approximate a geographically representative sample. From each seed number the required sample of numbers are generated by randomly replacing the last two digits. The sample is then screened against business databases in order to exclude as many of these numbers as possible before going into field. This approach is consistent across all countries. A comparison between the sample and the universe was carried out. The Universe description was derived from the national statistics office. The weighting procedure, using marginal and intercellular weighting, was carried out based on this Universe description. Gender, age, region, social class and the vote in the referendum on the Stability Treaty were introduced in the iteration procedure. TS1
FLASH EUROBAROMETER Readers are reminded that survey results are estimations, the accuracy of which, everything being equal, rests upon the sample size and upon the observed percentage. With samples of about 1,000 interviews, the real percentages vary within the following confidence limits: Statistical Margins due to the sampling process (at the 95% level of confidence) various sample sizes are in rows various observed results are in columns 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 95% 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50% N=50 6,0 8,3 9,9 11,1 12,0 12,7 13,2 13,6 13,8 13,9 N=50 N=500 1,9 2,6 3,1 3,5 3,8 4,0 4,2 4,3 4,4 4,4 N=500 N=1000 1,4 1,9 2,2 2,5 2,7 2,8 3,0 3,0 3,1 3,1 N=1000 N=1500 1,1 1,5 1,8 2,0 2,2 2,3 2,4 2,5 2,5 2,5 N=1500 N=2000 1,0 1,3 1,6 1,8 1,9 2,0 2,1 2,1 2,2 2,2 N=2000 N=3000 0,8 1,1 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8 1,8 1,8 N=3000 N=4000 0,7 0,9 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,5 1,5 1,5 N=4000 N=5000 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,3 1,4 1,4 1,4 N=5000 N=6000 0,6 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,3 1,3 N=6000 N=7000 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,1 1,2 1,2 N=7000 N=7500 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,1 1,1 N=7500 N=8000 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,9 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,1 N=8000 N=9000 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 N=9000 N=10000 0,4 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,9 0,9 1,0 1,0 1,0 N=10000 N=11000 0,4 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 N=11000 N=12000 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,9 0,9 0,9 0,9 N=12000 N=13000 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,9 0,9 N=13000 N=14000 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,8 N=14000 N=15000 0,3 0,5 0,6 0,6 0,7 0,7 0,8 0,8 0,8 0,8 N=15000 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 95% 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50% TS2
FLASH EUROBAROMETER ABBR. COUNTRIES INSTITUTES N INTERVIEWS FIELDWORK DATES POPULATION 15+ BE Belgium TNS Dimarso 1.002 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 8.939.546 BG Bulgaria TNS BBSS 1.001 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 6.537.510 CZ Czech Rep. TNS Aisa s.r.o 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 9.012.443 DK Denmark TNS Gallup A/S 1.009 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 4.561.264 DE Germany TNS Infratest 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 64.409.146 EE Estonia TNS Emor 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 945.733 EL Greece TNS ICAP 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 8.693.566 ES Spain TNS Demoscopia S.A 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 39.035.867 FR France TNS Sofres 1.007 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 47.756.439 IE Ireland IMS Millward Brown 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 3.522.000 IT Italy TNS Infratest 1.001 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 51.862.391 CY Rep. of Cyprus CYMAR 507 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 660.400 LV Latvia TNS Latvia 1.001 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 1.447.866 LT Lithuania TNS LT 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 2.829.740 LU Luxembourg TNS Dimarso 500 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 404.907 HU Hungary TNS Hoffmann Kft 1.001 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 8.320.614 MT Malta MISCO International 500 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 Ltd 335.476 NL Netherlands TNS NIPO 1.003 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 13.371.980 AT Austria TNS Austria 1.001 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 7.009.827 PL Poland TNS OBOP 1.001 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 32.413.735 PT Portugal TNS EUROTESTE 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 8.080.915 RO Romania TNS CSOP 1.005 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 18.246.731 SI Slovenia RM PLUS 1.003 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 1.759.701 SK Slovakia TNS AISA Slovakia 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 4.549.955 FI Finland TNS Gallup Oy 1.007 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 4.440.004 SE Sweden TNS SIFO 1.000 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 7.791.240 UK United Kingdom TNS UK 1.002 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 51.848.010 TOTAL EU27 25.551 14/02/2013 16/02/2013 408.787.006 TS3
QUESTIONNAIRE
FLASH EUROBAROMETER FL - Participatory democracy Q1 I would like to ask you a few questions about non-governmental organisations and associations. These are organisations and associations that are independent from the State. They include Chambers of Commerce, Industry or Agriculture, trade unions, professional associations, employers organisations and organisations with a specific interest (economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interests, for example). To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about these types of organisations? (READ OUT - ONE ANSWER ONLY) Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree DK/NA 1 2 3 4 These organisations can influence decision making at local/regional level These organisations can influence decision making at national level These organisations can influence decision making at EU level You share the values or interests of some of these organisations and you trust them to act in the right way to influence political decision making 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 5 European citizens do not need these types of organisations, they have other means of influencing political decision making 1 2 3 4 5 NEW Q1
FLASH EUROBAROMETER ROTATE STATEMENTS 1 TO 4 Q2 For each of the following actions, please tell me if you think they are effective or ineffective in influencing political decision-making? (READ OUT - ONE ANSWER ONLY) Very effective Fairly effective Fairly ineffective Totally ineffective DK/NA 1 2 3 Voting in local/regional 1 2 3 4 5 elections Voting in national elections 1 2 3 4 5 Voting in European elections 1 2 3 4 5 4 Being a member of a nongovernmental organisation or association 1 2 3 4 5 NEW ROTATE ITEMS 1 TO 8 - ITEMS 9-10 ARE SINGLE Q3 Have you done any of the following in the last two years? (READ OUT MULTIPLE ANSWERS) Taken part in a public debate at local/regional level Taken part in a public debate at national level Taken part in a public debate at EU level Expressed your views on public issues with your elected representative at local/regional level Expressed your views on public issues with your elected representative at national level Expressed your views on public issues with your elected representative at EU level Expressed your views on public issues on the Internet or in social media Signed a petition (on paper or online) None of these (DO NOT READ OUT) DK/NA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, NEW Q2
FLASH EUROBAROMETER ROTATE ITEMS 1 TO 4 - ITEMS 7-8 ARE SINGLE Q4 Are you a member of any of the following types of non-governmental organisations or associations? (READ OUT MULTIPLE ANSWERS) Chamber of Commerce/Industry/Agriculture Professional association (for example, doctors, teachers, farmers, etc.) Trade Union Employers organisation Organisation with a specific economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interest Any other organisation or association that has a specific interest and is officially registered None of these (DO NOT READ OUT) DK/NA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, NEW Q3
TABLES
FLASH EUROBAROMETER Q1.1 J aimerais vous poser quelques questions à propos d associations et d organisations non-gouvernementales. Ces associations et organisations qui sont indépendantes de l Etat incluent les chambres de commerce, d industrie ou d agriculture, les syndicats, les associations professionnelles, les organisations patronales, et les organisations avec un intérêt particulier (économique, social, environnemental, culturel ou sportif, par exemple). Dans quelle mesure êtes-vous d accord ou pas d accord avec les affirmations suivantes à propos des organisations de ce type? Ces organisations peuvent influencer la prise de décision au niveau local/ régional Q1.1 I would like to ask you a few questions about non-governmental organisations and associations. These are organisations and associations that are independent from the State. They include Chambers of Commerce, Industry or Agriculture, trade unions, professional associations, employers organisations and organisations with a specific interest (economic, social, environmental, cultural or sporting interests, for example). To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about these types of organisations? These organisations can influence decision making at local/regional level Q1.1 Ich würde Ihnen gerne einige Fragen über nichtstaatliche Organisationen und Verbände stellen. Es handelt sich um Organisationen und Verbände, die vom Staat unabhängig sind. Dazu gehören Handels-, Industrie- oder Landwirtschaftskammern, Gewerkschaften, Berufsverbände, Arbeitgeberverbände und Organisationen, die besondere Interessen vertreten (z.b. wirtschaftliche, soziale, ökologische, kulturelle oder sportliche Interessen). Inwieweit stimmen Sie den folgenden Aussagen über diese Organisationen zu oder nicht zu? Diese Organisationen können auf kommunaler oder regionaler Ebene die Entscheidungsfindung beeinflussen Tout à fait d accord Plutôt d accord Plutôt pas d accord Pas d accord du tout NSP/SR Total 'D'accord' Total 'Pas d'accord' % EU 27 BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL ES FR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK Strongly agree Stimme voll und ganz zu Tend to agree Stimme eher zu Tend to disagree Stimme eher nicht zu Strongly disagree Stimme überhaupt nicht zu DK/NA Weiß nicht / Keine Angabe Total 'Agree' Gesamt 'stimme zu' Total 'Disagree' Gesamt 'stimme nicht zu' 26 49 14 7 4 75 21 24 50 14 9 3 74 23 28 44 10 13 5 72 23 20 54 19 5 2 74 24 32 45 12 4 7 77 16 24 46 19 5 6 70 24 34 39 10 4 13 73 14 34 49 35 38 12 14 1 73 26 21 44 10 5 18 14 2 83 15 3 65 32 27 54 10 7 2 81 17 25 48 50 33 7 6 4 83 13 24 48 16 5 16 9 6 73 21 3 72 25 24 50 12 7 7 74 19 23 58 25 46 18 8 3 71 26 49 30 9 7 11 5 3 81 16 5 79 16 21 59 13 3 4 80 16 24 51 26 56 11 4 3 82 15 41 36 17 4 8 11 4 75 21 4 77 19 46 33 9 11 1 79 20 32 39 22 49 19 7 3 71 26 30 57 16 11 9 2 2 71 27 2 87 11 43 45 5 4 3 88 9 21 57 10 5 7 78 15 T1